Inverted Heater

Abstract

A capsule has a first end to engage with an electronic cigarette device and a second end arranged as a mouthpiece portion having a vapor outlet, a liquid reservoir located towards the first end and configured to store a liquid to be vaporised; a vaporising chamber located towards the second end and having an air inlet and a vapor outlet; a heating element arranged between the liquid reservoir and the vaporising chamber and configured to vaporise liquid received from the liquid reservoir and generate a vapor in the vaporising chamber; and a flow path extending between the vaporising chamber and the mouthpiece to allow the generated vapor to flow from the vaporising chamber to the mouthpiece. The heating element includes: a heating surface exposed to the vaporising chamber, at a first end of the heating element and a capillary element having a capillary surface exposed to the liquid reservoir.

1 . A capsule for an electronic cigarette, the capsule having a first end configured to engage with an electronic cigarette device and a second end arranged as a mouthpiece portion having a vapor outlet, the capsule further comprising:
 a liquid reservoir located towards the first end of the capsule, the liquid reservoir configured to store a liquid to be vaporised;   a vaporising chamber located towards the second end of the capsule, the vaporising chamber comprising an air inlet and a vapor outlet;   a heating element arranged between the liquid reservoir and the vaporising chamber, the heating element configured to vaporise liquid received from the liquid reservoir and generate a vapor in the vaporising chamber;   a flow path extending between the vaporising chamber and the mouthpiece to allow the generated vapor to flow from the vaporising chamber to the mouthpiece;   wherein the heating element comprises:
 a heating surface at a first end of the heating element, the heating surface exposed to the vaporising chamber; and 
 a capillary element comprising a capillary surface, the capillary surface exposed to the liquid reservoir; 
   wherein the heating surface is substantially planar; and   wherein the capillary surface is located at a second end of the heating element, and the capillary surface extends at least partially parallel to the heating surface.   
     
     
         2 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises a capillary-type heating element. 
     
     
         3 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating surface of the heating element comprises a porous material. 
     
     
         4 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the capillary surface of the heating element comprises a porous material. 
     
     
         5 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating element is made of a porous material, the porous material extending between the capillary surface and the heating surface. 
     
     
         6 . The capsule according to  claim 3 , wherein the porous material comprises a rigid ceramic. 
     
     
         7 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating surface is arranged between a main body of the heating element and the vaporising chamber, and
 wherein the capillary surface is arranged between the main body of the heating element and the liquid reservoir.   
     
     
         8 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating surface and the capillary surface are in fluid communication with each other. 
     
     
         9 . The capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the heating surface comprises an electrically resistive surface configured to vaporise liquid received from the liquid reservoir and to generate a vapor in the vaporising chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The capsule of  claim 9 , wherein the electrically resistive surface is directly attached to the heating surface. 
     
     
         11 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid reservoir comprises a buffer reservoir which is in fluid communication with a storage reservoir via a conduit. 
     
     
         12 . The capsule according to  claim 11 , wherein the storage reservoir is located between the second end of the capsule and the heating element. 
     
     
         13 . The capsule according to  claim 11 , wherein the storage reservoir is located closer to the mouthpiece than the buffer reservoir so that the storage reservoir is located above the buffer reservoir when the capsule is held vertically in its an operative configuration thereof such that liquid can flow from the storage reservoir to the buffer reservoir via the conduit under the action of gravity. 
     
     
         14 . The capsule according to  claim 11 , wherein at least part of the heating element is located within the buffer reservoir. 
     
     
         15 . The capsule according to  claim 14 , wherein the heating element comprises at least one gripping mechanism arranged to maintain a position of the heating element within the buffer reservoir. 
     
     
         16 . The capsule according to  claim 11 , wherein the buffer reservoir comprises a substantially constant volume of liquid along a length of the buffer reservoir, wherein the length of the buffer reservoir is adjacent at least one surface of the heating element. 
     
     
         17 . The capsule according to  claim 11 , wherein the buffer reservoir is delimited by a holder of the capsule comprising a sump and a seal member. 
     
     
         18 . An electronic cigarette comprising a main body and a capsule wherein the main body comprises a power supply unit, electrical circuitry, and a capsule seating configured to connect with the capsule, the capsule comprising:
 a first end configured to engage with the electronic cigarette device and a second end arranged as a mouthpiece portion having a vapor outlet, the capsule further comprising:
 a liquid reservoir located towards the first end of the capsule, the liquid reservoir configured to store a liquid to be vaporised; 
 a vaporising chamber located towards the second end of the capsule, the vaporising chamber comprising an air inlet and a vapor outlet; 
 a heating element arranged between the liquid reservoir and the vaporising chamber, the heating element configured to vaporise liquid received from the liquid reservoir and generate a vapor;
 a flow path extending between the vaporising chamber and the mouthpiece to allow the generated vapor to flow from the vaporising chamber to the mouthpiece; 
 
   wherein the heating element comprises:
 a heating surface at a first end of the heating element, the heating surface exposed to the vaporising chamber; and 
 a capillary element comprising a capillary surface, the capillary surface exposed to the liquid reservoir; 
 wherein the heating surface is substantially planar; and 
   wherein the capillary surface is located at a second end of the heating element, and the capillary surface extends at least partially parallel to the heating surface.   
     
     
         19 . The capsule according to  claim 12 , wherein the storage reservoir is located closer to the mouthpiece than the buffer reservoir so that the storage reservoir is located above the buffer reservoir when the capsule is held vertically in an operative configuration thereof such that liquid can flow from the storage reservoir to the buffer reservoir via the conduit under the action of gravity.